Hide and Seek
by Iglika
Summary: This is a Zee&Ro story. Something happened between Zee and Ro after Agent Bennet's attack. How Zee will manage to solve the problem?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Dragonmaster01 for her editing work on this chapter.

As in all of my stories, here Zee has a material covering over his synthoid's body. More details about this idea, you can find in Chapter Three of my fanfic "The Nettle's Shirt', book 1 of 'You Need Me".

Hide and Seek

by Iglika

Chapter One

**Zee's point of view**

Our feet sank into the soft, glittering white snow. All of the pathways of the park were cleaned, but we walked right across the snow carpet over the lawns. Ro was Ro; it was too bothersome for her to follow the beaten path. She was continuously inventing complications…

No, Ro was right - I was excessively worried for her. There was no harm in walking in the snow. I had bought her perfect boots, so her feet couldn't be wet; furthermore she wore enough warm winter clothing, so she couldn't get cold. I had to relax and enjoy our walk. That was all I had to do now.

I knew that the anxious way I looked at her betrayed my overprotective state, but this time instead of scolding me, she pretended that she didn't notice anything and she merely walked beside me even without to glance at me, as if her only thought now was really to take pleasure of the winter view around us. Her pretending though gave me all the reasons to expect some prank, but that was okay, my main goal was not only to know that Ro was healthy and safe, but to see her happy no matter if it would be on my expense.

Actually… I loved her pranks and jokes. Yes, that was the truth, I knew her intentions were always good-hearted, she merely wanted to teach me how to behave more like a real human so I was never offended, even when for a moment I felt a little bit…err… stupid. It was much better for both of us if I would look stupid in front of her than to expose my ignorance about something in a tense situation when we had to run and to risk people identifying me as a synthoid. And most of all - Ro never humiliated me; she really simply wanted me to be more human.

I looked at the light blue sky above us and the trees around as - their intertwined branches were like a piece of tender white lace of snow, over which the sun light glimmered with little light blue, yellow and lilac sparkles.

I really loved to enjoy every beautiful view, every peaceful moment… Was this too… meaningless? Well… maybe the way I described the beauty around me was too common. But yet I'm just… a synthoid, a… robot. A very weird robot, indeed, as Ro often was saying to me, the weird robot, who showed her what a family's love is, the weird robot, who taught her to see the beauty in everything. And maybe now she really was getting pleasure from the winter scene around us.

This area of the park was deserted, we were the only ones who walked here. A frightened pigeon flitted above us, making a slight cloud of snow-dust powder over us. I lifted my hand and let some snowflakes to fall on my fingers. I was unable to feel them, but I could detect their gentle coldness. My material covering radiated a normal human-body temperature, so the snowflakes slowly began to melt on my fingers until they became very, very small water drops. If my hand was just metal now, they wouldn't thaw so fast. I slightly smiled to myself - the snowflakes didn't recognize me, I was a real human at least for them. And for Ro, of course…

"Huh…?" I mumbled something indistinguishable from beneath the snow avalanche, which had dumped over me, accompanied by Ro's laughing.

She still held the branch, which she had shook in order to bury me and she had pressed her other hand against her stomach, almost bent double with laughter.

I laughed as well, trying to shake off the snow of me.

"Wait, wait, I'll help you!" she said through her laugher. She was about to approach me, but she let go of the branch, which went back on place hitting the other branches around and causing a new avalanche to crash on top of us both…

"Gyah!" she doubled up, shrugging her shoulders and laughing even more while trying to hide her head and most of all her neck under her hands.

She had told me that the worst thing is to have ice-cold snow in your neck…

I began helping her, carefully shaking the snow out of her hair and shoulders, while she tried to do the same with me… and we both kept laughing…

There was still snow on my head, Ro lifted on her tiptoes to reach it, and then, with a smile, she took my hand, "C'mon, we'll be late!"

I didn't move though and she tried to drag me again, "C'mon, Zee!"

"This is the place" I shrugged innocently my shoulders.

"Here?" Ro looked around. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was about to tell you…"

"Are we early?" she interrupted me.

"Yes, we are… as always when we have to meet your brother."

"Hmmm…" she put her hands on her hips, "Then we have time for…" she gave me a slight smile with one lifted brow, then she made fast a snowball and she threw it on me, "… that!"

I was able to avoid it, but I remained on place, pretending to be surprised, so the snowball hit me while Ro broke in laugh again.

I liked to have snowball fights with her and of course I was absolutely careful; I didn't hit her too hard, as long as she fought with all of her force. We both laughed, having real fun…

And… I knew what Ro tried to do - she wanted to throw me down to the ground, in order to roll me in the snow and turn me into a snowman… and we both laughed even more just on the thought of that…

But… she wouldn't be able to throw me down if I wouldn't allow her, so I let her to hit me with a snowball right on my face and then, pretending that I was sliding, losing my balance, I let her to push me and throw me down onto my back… but she didn't let go of me and involuntarily I dragged her along with me and… she fell over me… we broke into laughter again…

Ro was leaned against my chest; so close… that the warm breath of her lips touched my face…

She scooped up with her both hands as much snow as she could and she tipped it out on me…

"Zee?" said somewhere above both of us a familiar male voice, "Do you need some help there?"

Casey!

I… I had completely forgotten about him…

I really had absolutely no idea how, but… I had forgotten we were here to meet him…

Ro immediately stood up, and I stood up too. We both greeted Casey, while trying to shake off the snow of us… again…

This time though, I was really worried about Ro. Although I tried not to make her wet with the snowballs I threw at her, her fall in the snow had covered her clothes...

"Now what?" Ro asked Casey, teasing him with her usual sarcasm, "I think we are well seen enough from a long distance here, so where are the agents?"

Casey merely smiled mildly, "There are no agents this time, Ro, you can trust me."

Sometimes I was really astonished how a brother and a sister could be so different - not just because Ro was blonde and Casey's hair was sandy-reddish, but mainly because of their characters. As Ro was so sarcastic and… even rough at times, Casey was so good-natured…

"She means that… there's no too much things we three could do here in order to look natural…" I tried to cover her remark.

"Hmm…well…" murmured Ro thoughtfully, "As you, Casey, saved Zee from not being a snowman; I think we can make a real one. After all, we missed the right time for this."

"There's no need for me to be with both of you" I answered her back, "I'll stay in guard in a distance, I'll pretend I just walking around, you may feel free to talk to each other."

"Thank you, Zee!" Casey smiled at me obviously glad that I spared him from being embarrassed how to send me away.

"It's okay" I returned the smile, shrugging my shoulders. "I know you may want to talk privately."

And saying this, I made my way toward the alley. I would pretend that I'm waiting for someone there, looking carefully all around and of course casting a glance at Ro and Casey as well.

They both already talked while Ro had begun to make a huge snowball.

But...

Suddenly Ro looked at Casey, throwing away the snowball, obviously being very angry at him for some reason…

Of course I was able to listen at their conversation, but I didn't want to. I refused to pay attention to their words. I had promised them to let them to talk privately and I would keep my promise.

But… being even angrier, Ro made her way towards me, leaving Casey in the middle of the snow lawn.

That was weird…

I stopped; waiting for her… and I couldn't help but reached my hands toward her in order to take hers. It was a common gesture between both of us, she knew I was always here for her; I was ready to listen to her, to help her, to comfort her, so it was like a sign that she may share with me everything…

She took my hands, but she bit her lips with a confused expression.

"What's wrong, Ro?" I asked softly.

"Zee… I don't want you to be offended, but…" she bit her lips again, then she sighed, avoiding my eyes… and finally she looked up at me, "Casey wants to tell me something very private and… he feels uneasy because of your sharp hearing."

"You know I would not listen to any word of yours…"

"I know, Zee, but… he's not get used to be around you, it's not like he doesn't trust you… please try to understand him…"

"I can understand him, but… it's not wise to leave you…"

"I know, but he's insisting… I told him that I have no secrets from you, but it's something about him, he wants to share something with me. I know he could be your friend too, but please give him some time. Now just… you can go and buy some food for us, some pizza or whatever, or… merely a carrot for the snowman's nose… Zee, please, Casey's my brother after all and… somehow he wants to prove me and… to prove you that he can take care of me as you do. I know it's not the same, but… it's delicate, Zee. He's my big brother; we can let him to protect me instead of you for half-an hour, right?"

"Half-an hour? It's too much, Ro!"

"Please let him to do this! However, if the agents were on his tail, they had to come until now."

"Ro, I can't leave you, it's too risky for you, it's too dangerous…"

"I know it would be hard for you to do this, but I'm begging you, Zee, please, do it for of me!"

"I can't do this, exactly because of you!"

"Please, Zee!" and... she… she squeezed my fingers so… gently…

I didn't suppose, I… I didn't know… I… I had no idea that one caress of her hands could have such a strong effect on me…

I wasn't convinced to leave her, I wasn't agreeing at all, but… I merely heard myself how I said to her that I would leave her for half-an hour…

"Thanks, Zee!" Ro smiled, her sky blue eyes were brightening up with happiness and very quickly she…

She…

She kissed me on the cheek…

And then she ran back toward Casey.

I barely stopped myself of not touching my face on the place where she had kissed me… I… I didn't dare, knowing that Casey looked at me…

Ro kissed me…

In front of her brother…

Well… yes, it… it was just a kiss on the cheek, but yet…

It was a kiss.

She kissed me for the first time for all of those three years we were together…

So what? She had kissed Batman on the cheek as a sign of her thankfulness. She wasn't and she's still not in love with Batman, so that kiss now couldn't be a sign that she was in love with me.

I looked at her. She had continued to make the snowman while talking to Casey.

I slowly made my way toward… I had no idea toward what and where. I merely had to walk away from them enough as I had promised her…

Ro kissed me.

She kissed me.

She did it.

No matter that this couldn't be a sign for her real feelings towards me or no… she had kissed me.

Ro kissed me.

She kissed me…

**Ro's point of view**

The skin of his face was so soft and warm… and so real…

Of course his face was real as his hands; I had pressed my face to his so many times while he had hugged me in order to jump a long distance.

Yes, but…

I had never had touched his face with my lips, I had never had kissed him… and… the sensation was so… nice…

I approached Casey.

"Well? Zee will be back after a half-an hour." I said a little bit sullenly. "So now what?" And I took the huge snowball again, expecting that Casey would help me.

But my brother didn't move, he just remained still in front of me, like frozen.

"You kissed him?" he uttered, completely dumbfounded. It was as if he hadn't heard my question at all.

"Yes, I kissed him on the cheek, so what?"

"Ro, you kissed him!"

"Because I think he deserves it, because it's hard for him to leave me alone."

"Are you in love with him, Ro?"

"Casey, I'm expecting you to tell me why you and your girlfriend wouldn't come with Zee and me to celebrate my Birthday with Morgan, I thought you want to share with me something very important and very private!"

"Yes. And you just made things easier. I wanted to talk to you about Zee and that was why I didn't want him around."

"What? I thought you want to tell me something about you!"

"No, I want you to tell me something about you!"

"I have nothing to tell."

"No, Ro, you have! It's true that I allowed you to keep traveling with Zee, but the more I think about all this, the more I'm worried!"

"So you just have to calm down. Zee and I are just friends, okay?"

"You're in love with him, Ro!"

"No, Casey, I'm not. Don't be so childish, a kiss on the cheek couldn't mean anything!"

"But it just confirmed my suppositions."

"You journalists always overestimate everything!"

"And what about your fantasy? Why did you made him so handsome? Black haired, but blue eyed, with a perfect face, well-knit and 6' tall! You have to admit that he looks excessively handsome!"

"Of course he does! I have to have someone I really like beside me. You can't correct the appearance of your friends, can you? How could I lose such of chance to make him the way I wanted him to look like? I can't see what's wrong here! What do you want me to have as a companion? Someone ugly? Some loser? Some twerp? Do I have to be ashamed of having some jerk with me?"

"No, but… Ro, I don't want you to fall in love with him. Yes. That's it. He's not a human just in case if you had forgotten it."

"Thanks for reminding me. But I'm not falling in love with him and I don't plan it."

"It's not something you can plan, Ro."

"It's just crazy, Casey, I…"

"Ro, look, it's true that we don't spend too much time together, maybe I really don't know you very well yet, but you are my sister, and I can feel what happening with you. Even if I would ignore that kiss now, I can see how you looking at him, how your eyes changing when you talking about him. Don't lie to me, Ro, it's useless. You love him."

I didn't answer this time.

And I kept silence for some long minutes.

Then I said slowly, "Well… you're right. I don't have to lie to you. You are my brother and it's useless to deny anything. I love him. Is everything okay now?"

"No, Ro, nothing is okay, I…"

I interrupted him.

"Casey, look… I know all of the arguments you could state that I don't have to love him. But I don't need this. Zee is my best friend indeed, but I can't tell him 'You know, I love you, what you would say to that?' I have no one to share my love with. Don't think it's easy for me. It's not. I know better than anyone else who Zee is. But that's exactly why I love him. I need help, Casey. I need support. I need your help and your support. Don't try to convince me that I don't have to love him. It's hopeless. You better give me your encouragement that we'll get his freedom and he'll become a real human. You better help him. I suppose he loves me too, but I can imagine how hard it could be for him to confess it. You both could be friends. You can talk to him, as man to man, you can tell him that you're on his side, because I know you are. You can encourage him to keep fighting for his freedom, to keep hoping that he will become a living man. That is what we both need now - your help and your support. I can't tell you how you can do this, but I…"

The NSA van appeared from nowhere above us.

Oh, no…

"Ro!" Casey took my hand and we ran…

But Casey wasn't Zee… Casey could hardly run in the deep snow, he wasn't able to help me to move as easily as Zee could; we weren't as fast as we could be if I ran with Zee…

The agents surrounded us…

"Freeze, Zeta!" yelled Agent Bennet, with his laser gun aimed at Casey.

"He's not Zee!" I yelled back. "It's Casey, it's my brother, it's really him! Zee's not here!"

Maybe it was good that Zee wasn't here, Bennet will see this is not Zee and will go away…

"No funny stuff!" said Agent Bennet coldly, coming closer to us. "I know lately you manage to keep your material covering on you, Zeta, and it neutralize the effect of your hologram, so don't try to fool me!"

"I'm not Zeta!" yelled Casey, more angry than scared. Then he unzipped his jacked and he took out from his inside pocket his driving license. "Real clothes and real documents, you see?"

"You can wear real clothes Zeta, and you can even have real documents, that doesn't prove anything at all." Bennet frowned.

"He's not Zee! Don't you see?" I almost screamed, although… I clearly realized that there was no way for Bennet to make a difference here and now

"We'll check who he really is." said Bennet putting handcuffs on Casey's hands and leading him toward the van.

The second van had landed nearby and Rush dragged me toward it.

I tried, but… didn't manage to escape from Rush this time. She kept dragging me toward the van while I attempt to convince myself that maybe it was better that the agents thought that Casey was Zee. They would check and would realize it's not Zee. Then they would set us free. And I would be back to Zee. I merely hoped I would find him. I merely hoped he would watch us now from somewhere…

Please, Zee, you're somewhere nearby, aren't you? You'll see what's going on and you'll be there to meet me when I'll be set free. Please, Zee, please be there… please be there…

to be continued…

I have a plea - no matter how much time had passed since I posted this chapter, please, please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Dragonmaster01 for her editing work on this chapter.

As in all of my stories, here Zee has a material covering over his synthoid's body. More details about this idea, you can find in Chapter Three of my fanfic "The Nettle's Shirt', book 1 of 'You Need Me".

Hide and Seek

by Iglika

Chapter Two

**Ro's point of view**

Rush harshly pushed my back in order to make me walk quickly. The door opened, we entered the NSA van and immediately it slammed behind us. Great. I was really trapped this time. I observed the vehicle from the inside - I had entered the NSA van for the first time in my life. What an honor!

There were so many computer screens and devices. The van inside looked like a real lab. Two agents were sitting in front of their computers obviously in order to keep an eye on something. But I hadn't time to see what they looked for. Rush didn't allow me to. She forced me to sit in a chair with my back toward a turned off computer and she stood upright beside me.

Zee and I had seen so many synthoids in the top secret NSA debriefing post; probably they were very easily malfunctioning, as Bennet's job was to catch malfunctioning robots. As obviously it was so common for the other synthoids to have some problems with their programming, was it possible for Bennet at all to believe that everything Zee was doing was to win the right to be treated as free man?

It wasn't exactly a feeling of fear which made my heart to go faster now. I was angry and disappointed…

Oh, well, I was scared too. But that fear wouldn't help me at all.

I tried to ignore the sensation of the handcuffs. When Bennet realizes that the one he had caught was really Casey, I would be set free, right?

I was still in the NSA van, Rush and West hadn't taken me anywhere, we just stood here, in the park, obviously waiting for Bennet to finish his checks on Casey, so there was still a hope…

Or maybe not…

I was threatened by the fact that I could be imprisoned, because I helped a renegade synthoid. Casey had told me that Bennet was inclined not to sending me in jail only because Casey had promised to help him on their first meeting.

But since then Casey refused to collaborate with Bennet and probably Bennet wouldn't have any mercy on me now…

Going to jail…

What a birthday present!

And what about Zee?

He still needed me, he needed my help, he was in danger without me, he wouldn't make it without me…

The NSA would kill him if the agents would catch him again…

No! Zee would help me to escape from here and we would be together again; we always managed to help each other. Always. And it wouldn't be any different this time. Zee would find a way to save me.

I looked through the huge windshield. The snow park was lifeless under the dying daylight and crawling winter fog.

I didn't have to force Zee to leave me with Casey. I could imagine how awful Zee would suffer now, feeling responsible for what happened to my brother and me…

It wasn't like I just owed Zee an excuse. I had to trust him more. He was somehow capable of sensing the danger and when he refused to leave me, I had to listen to him. A half-an-hour sounded as some funny small period of time, indeed, but the truth was that the agents needed a few minutes to catch me. Zee was right to be so worried about me while I tried to convince him that everything was okay. Nothing was okay now. And it was all my fault.

**Casey's point of view**

Agent Bennet, slowly and pedantically, using different devices, made a dozen checks on me in order to be sure that I wasn't Zee. His stern expression became even fiercer behind his green glasses, when he realized that it was really me and not the synthoid. What would Bennet say now? Would he release Ro, or, being angry that he didn't manage to catch Zee, would he try to send my sister to jail?

Bennet's cell phone rang. He listened to someone, then turned off the phone and he gave some orders to the rest of the agents. Taking his laser gun and some strange device with him, Bennet left the van..

I was always bad in estimating the passing time without looking at a watch. I had no idea how much time had passed since Bennet had left. It was dark outside already, but what time was it? Probably fifteen minutes passed or maybe twenty or something when Bennet came back. His expression made me think of an angry tornado. I could easily guess that the call was connected with Zee and Bennet had lost the synthoid again.

Bennet unlocked my handcuffs and he said through his clenched teeth, "Don't be so happy, MacCurdy. You and your sister are perfect bait for Zeta. It would be easier for me to catch him keeping one eye on you both. Sooner or later I'll get him."

Then he said to the agents, "I will take him to Miss Rowen" and we left the NSA van.

When the door closed behind us, though, Bennet took my elbow, he dragged me toward the snow trees and bushes nearby and before I managed to ask what was happening, we were hidden there, a green-white light flashed around him and he became Zee.

To say I was surprised was an understatement.

"How did you replace Bennet?" I finally managed to ask.

"I'll explain later. Don't worry, I didn't kill him, he's okay. I need to talk to you, Casey. One of us has to take Ro and I need you to tell me if it would be you or me."

"I thought leaving someone else to rescue her wasn't an option." I said.

"No, it wasn't. But you have something against me, Casey, I'm sure of it. That's why I want you to tell me if you are really agreeing to let Ro keep traveling with me?"

It was impossible for him to know this from my conversation with Ro. He wasn't there. Obviously he was more perceptive than I expected. I had to admit that he was more human that I thought he was. We had no time though, so I decided to speak out.

"Would you leave Ro if I told you that I don't want you around her anymore?"

He didn't hesitate to answer, so it was obvious he had thought about that a long time ago.

"Only if I'm sure that she would be happy that way."

"You love her, don't you?"

"I would give my life for her."

"Zee, you have to answer me! Do you love her?"

**Ro's point of view **

Rush's wireless phone rang and she took a few steps away from me. I recognized Bennet's voice, but I didn't manage to understand exactly what was saying…

Rush gave me an angry look, as if she hated to fulfill the orders she had just received and she said with her usual rough tone of voice, "Your brother will be here any minute."

That was good - Casey had somehow convinced Bennet not to send me to a jail… and I couldn't help but being curious what exactly was said Casey to Bennet… or at least I tried to think about that as I had no more patience to know what had happened to Zee…

Rush came to me and unlocked my handcuff. But she didn't push the button for opening the van door for me. Obviously she had an order to wait for Casey, probably because Bennet wanted to be sure that Casey would take me from here and not Zee.

That was okay, as soon as they would set me free, I would find Zee. I would find him.

Rush finally opened the van's door and convoyed by Bennet himself, Casey entered the vehicle. He didn't say anything; he just looked at me seriously and with some inexplicable plea in his eyes to have mercy on him and to forgive his fault.

Well, we hadn't escaped the Feds, but I didn't blame him, he wasn't Zee, and most of all - he was free now and he would take me from here.

"I'm so sorry I caused you trouble, Ro" said Casey and he opened his arms to hug me.

I… I didn't move for a second though…

Well… he was my bigger brother, it was okay for him to hug me after all what was happened to us, but… actually… we had never hugged so far… and here, in front of Bennet and Rush and the agents…

But it was stupid to leave him with his opened arms waiting for me for so long, he was my brother and the agents were humans too, even Bennet and Rush, so they would understand…

I approached Casey, I hugged him and his arms tenderly wrapped my back.

But…

I felt…

I felt a familiar motionless, his chest didn't move and… I didn't feel any breath of his, although he leaned his face on my neck…

"Zee…" I whispered in his ear and he hugged me tighter as an answer.

"Come on, you both!" Bennet said harshly.

Zee didn't take my hand, as it would be weird if my brother would do this, but I sensed his hand on my back while we walked toward the door… and it was as if Zee didn't want to let go of me completely, as if he was afraid that Bennet would discover who 'my brother' was and would separate us again.

We went out on the snow, followed by Bennet…

to be continued…

Please review! No matter how much time had passed since I posted this chapter, please, please review! I need your reviews to keep writing.


	3. Chapter 3

8

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. I deeply appreciate Robert Goodman as the creator of 'The Zeta Project' and all 'The Zeta Project' team. So it's just a fanfic.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Dragonmaster01 for her editing work on this chapter.

As in all of my stories, here Zee has a material covering over his synthoid's body. More details about this idea, you can find in Chapter Three of my fanfic "The Nettle's Shirt', book 1 of 'You Need Me".

Ro's thoughts are with italic letters.

Hide and Seek

by Iglika

Chapter 3

**Ro's point of view**

When the van's door slammed behind us, Zee switched his hologram from Casey's appearance to his Zee look and the moment I was about to yell at him what he was thinking that he was doing, Bennet became… Casey!

I broke into laugher and they both smiled shyly yet proudly.

"I gave him Dr. Edmund's bracelet." said Zee quickly. "Come one, we have to hurry!" and he placed his hands on Casey's shoulder and on my shoulder as well. His hologram flashed again and we three became… something like a dark cloud, which crawled near to the ground.

"Wow, Zee! When did you find out that you can do this?" I asked, still surprised by his new skill.

"Just some practice" answered Zee modestly. "This could work only in a dark, foggy winter evening like this, though."

We managed to get out of the park without problems, although the agents were running around us searching for Bennet. We didn't meet him while we were walking across the park and I had to admit that Zee had calculated everything.

Then, while we were on the street again, Casey, using the bracelet, became some middle aged man, and Zee and I were some ordinary couple - a blonde boy and his sandy haired girlfriend, who he hugged around the shoulders.

"We have to hide before Bennet comes back." said Casey, offering Zee his hand, "Thank you, Zee. I trust you to keep my sister safe and well! Take care, you both! We'll meet again at Morgan's house for Ro's birthday, right?"

Zee and I nodded, then Casey took a taxi, while we both kept walking.

Zee was sure that it was safer for us to remain in this town. He had given Casey some of his creds so my brother will mislead Bennet that we had left this town, while using Casey's creds; we'll stay in a hotel.

It wasn't too late, but I was terribly tired and after I ate the dinner Zee had ordered for me, I merely wanted to get some sleep before we eventually would have to run again.

I went to bed without changing. Zee sat in his usual chair.

But this evening I couldn't sleep. I couldn't sleep for the first time in an age. Everything was so stressful today. And not only Bennet's attack on us, it was something almost usual and common, but my conversation with Casey, the way my brother had discovered my deepest secret. I would like to talk to Zee about all this, but how could I?

I merely had to pretend that I was sleeping…

But the curiosity what actually Zee was doing while I was sleeping didn't let me in peace.

I lifted my head a little bit and I looked at him. He had leaned backward against the chair with closed eyes, as if he was asleep. He really looked as if he was sleeping. Because of me? In order to not scare me if I would wake up in the middle of the night and see his non-sleeping eyes gazed in mine?

What he thought about now? Did he think about me, as I thought about him? Did he think about our future? What he expected from the future? He never talked about his dreams, never. He wanted to be free; he wanted to become more human and then what?

Zee didn't remain that way for too long. He stood up, he approached my bed, he stood in front of me for a while as if he hesitated, then he bend over me and… I felt his hand tenderly to caress my hair, then I felt his warm fingers on my forehead, on my cheek… he caressed me… he caressed me so gently…

Did he doing this always when I was sleeping? Or he did it just now, because he still felt guilty that he had allowed me to convince him that he had to leave me without his protection? Did he know how tender were the touches of his fingers? I sensed that he was bending over me more; I sensed the fresh scent of his face as if it was of some after shave… his face was so close to mine…

My heart sank and then began to beat so fast...

Still under his fingers, which kept gently caressing my hair, I turned my head toward him and I opened my eyes. His face was really so close to mine and his lips…

But he immediately drew back of me, so quickly and so frightened as if he was some thief, who was caught on the scene of the crime.

"Ro… I'm so sorry…I…I thought… I thought you were sleeping…"

Why he was so scared? Because his detectors had mislead him into thinking I was sleeping or because I had sensed his caresses?

"Ro… I'm… I'm very sorry…please forgive me, Ro…"

"It's okay, Zee" I smiled at him, "It's okay, it's really okay" I stood up and tenderly cupped his face with my hands and… it was the most clear hint I could give him, that I not merely didn't mind that he had caressed me, but that he could… he could kiss me…

But...

Zee didn't kiss me.

He merely remained unmovable. The coldness of his behavior beneath the warmth of his skin while I still held his face burned my hands and on my turn I drew back from him.

He looked at me with astonishment, but he was still motionless as if he was some ice statue.

I flopped onto the bed again. I buried my face in the pillow, trying to stop my mad willingness to drown in tears.

_You absolutely hadn't in mind to kiss me, Zee, had you… I'm not as sweet as Tiffy, am I…?_

_And why you caressed me then? If you didn't wanted to kiss me, if you don't love me, then why?_

Probably Casey was right. Zee was just a machine, a machine, which was unable to experience a real love. Or he was able to love, but not me. It was more than clear that he was in love with Tiffy. So he may go to spend as much time as he wanted with her, he can kiss her as much as he wants, he may take her as his accomplice, he can marry her, he can do what ever he wants to do, that didn't matter to me anymore.

"Ro…"

"Leave me alone!"

"But, Ro… you're crying…"

"Not of your business!"

"Ro, please…"

"I said - leave me alone!"

"You... you just want me to let you alone for a while, right? You want to… you want to be alone for a little while, is it so? Ro? I could wait for you in the corridor… or in the lobby…"

"No! I want you to leave!" I harshly turned toward him and I yelled in a helpless anger, "I want you to get out of here! Go away!"

"But… Ro… why…"

"Can't you see?"

"N-no… I… I don't think I can… if it's not because I dared to caress you, then I really don't know why… what I did to you, why you are crying, please tell me! Ro…"

"It's useless, Zee, just go away and let me alone! You ever feel guilty to expose my life to danger, well, now is the time, please leave me and go way!"

"You don't say it seriously, Ro, do you? You you're just mad at me…"

"Yes, I am."

"Then tell me why! Please tell me why, Ro!"

"It's exactly because you can't understand. It's over, Zee. Please go away."

"But Ro…"

"I said it's over!"

I didn't look at him although I felt his anxious gaze on me.

"Ro… do you really want… do you really want me to… leave?"

"Just leave."

_No, Zee, don't! Don't go away, please don't! Hug me, Zee, kiss me, prove me that you love me… you're not just an obeying machine, so why you always obeying me? I don't want you to be so humble, don't you understand? Hug me, Zee, please hug me… and never leave me if you really love me! Zee-e-e-e!_

I heard the hissing sound of his cred card and then his soft, unbearable sad voice, "Any creds could be enough… I could send you…"

"Stop caring for me!"

_Stop caring for my material needs, Zee, can't you see I need you!_

"Ro… I could call Casey or…"

"Get out of here!" I yelled completely out of control.

Zee stared at me in disbelieve, sad, confused, desperate…

But why? Because he had gotten used to being with me? Because he would feel lost without his translator, without his teacher? Because he… because he just had to have an owner?

His eyelids winced as it was from real pain…

"Goodbye, Ro…" he whispered… he opened the door…

And he left.

He left…

He left me…

He really left me…

I jumped off the bed and took my shoes and jacket...

What I had done… what I had done… I sent away the only one who really wanted to take care of me… the only one who loved me… even if he loved me just as his friend, or… even as his… owner… even if it was so, Zee loved me… he doesn't love Tiffy, that was crazy… he was so devoted to me, he can't love Tiffy… I didn't have to doubt in his love towards me, Zee was the only one who loved me so unselfishly…

What I had done… Zee still needed me, he needed my help, he was in danger without me, he wouldn't make it without me…

I took my knapsack, I tuck in my stuff, my counter… and I went out…

The corridor was empty… maybe Zee was still in the lobby… I took the elevator…

Zee had left…

Why didn't I have mercy on him… he was different, he was so sensitive… he had such a tender soul, he was such a kind person and… after all…he was… a robot… no matter if I tried to ignore it, Zee was a robot… how easily I could forget that he always was inclined to take my words literally… how I was able to forget that as a robot he can fulfill his duty to obey just because he would think that that would please me… he had left… he had take my words literally… and he had left…

_Why didn't you say that you love me, Zee? Why did you left me… didn't you understand… didn't you understand how much I love you, Zee… I really love you…_

The lobby… there were a few people here… on the desk there was a family, who obviously had just came in the hotel, and a young couple who waited to take their key… two boys and two girls talked sitting around the coffee table… Zee couldn't be one of them… but what about that man, who looked at the brochures at the brochures stand? Or this one, who was sitting near to the two girls and the two boys? No, he was middle aged and he looked too much like Zee's first appearance from the first day I met him. He wouldn't wear any similar hologram now, it wasn't him.

But that man on the brochures stand… He was shorter than Zee, with sharp features, he was lean, brown haired, with clothes, which were out of fashion and with yellow glasses. His appearance seemed like a too logical choice for Zee - everything in this man was opposite to Zee. And there was an odd detail - this man had a red bandana around his neck. That could be just a coincidence, but that remained me of Zee's stupid red hologram bandana he made when he had made that ridiculous safari-outfit and the cowboy's clothing he made while we were hiking. But still… how could I be sure that it was Zee? Except that strong feeling inside of me that I was able to recognize him no matter what his hologram was, I had no way to check if I was right. I couldn't take this man by the hand to make sure if there was a pulse on his wrist… I couldn't try to take his glasses or his bandana in order to be positive if they were some part of Zee's material covering or they were real…

But I knew Zee was here, I just felt it, I sensed it, I was sure he was here…

And I knew he was offended, he would watch over me, he even would follow me, but he would do this the way I wouldn't be able to notice, he would never let me to see his Zee appearance again… unless I would manage to convince him to forgive me…

I had to provoke him, I had no other chance… it was risky, it was very risky, but I really had no other option… I couldn't go and speak privately to that man who I thought was Zee… what he would think of me if I was wrong? So I looked around once again and as I was standing in the middle of the lobby, I turned toward this man and I yelled at him as if we were some separate couple, "Okay, Zee, I'm the guilty one, but please don't try to act as if you don't know me! I'm so sorry for everything that I told you! Please, forgive me! Please don't leave me that way! Please, don't do this to me! I'm really sorry for everything! Please forgive me! Please forgive me, Zee!"

To be continued…

Please, if you like this story, please have mercy on me and submit reviews…


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. I deeply appreciate Robert Goodman as the creator of 'The Zeta Project' and all 'The Zeta Project' team. So it's just a fanfic.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Dragonmaster01 for her editing work on this chapter.

As in all of my stories, here Zee has a material covering over his synthoid's body. More details about this idea, you can find in Chapter Three of my fanfic "The Nettle's Shirt', book 1 of 'You Need Me".

Hide and Seek

by Iglika

Chapter Four

**Zee's point of view**

Pretending that I was looking at the brochure stand I saw with my peripheral vision how Ro rushed from the elevator in the lobby. I didn't move. I continued pretending that I was occupied with the brochures, still keeping a sharp eye on her.

Ro observed the lobby and then she suddenly began to yell at me.

„Okay, Zee, I'm the guilty one, but please don't try to act as if you don't know me! I'm so sorry for everything I told you! Please, forgive me! Please don't leave me this way! Please, don't do this to me! I'm really sorry for everything! Please forgive me! Please forgive me, Zee!"

I didn't know if I was glad that she managed to recognize me. Probably I wasn't sure in this the same way she wasn't completely sure that it was really me.

But… one way or another, something in me had a weird thrill that she was able to identify me no matter what kind of hologram I wore… although all this I didn't want to reveal myself yet. Not now.

Yes, I was insulted. I was really offended of the way she had treated me, of the way she had driven me out. But I loved her too much to leave her so easily.

I had turned to look at her with the blank expression of a person, who was not sure what was going on, while she kept yelling at me as if we were some just separated couple.

All the people in the lobby stared at us right now and I knew it was her goal – she wanted to provoke the security to come for her and that way she hoped to make me reveal myself. I wouldn't let her to enter in some troubles, would I? I would have no nerves to see her trapped and I would do something in order to rescue her.

Her plan was perfect, as she knew me so well. But obviously she didn't know me perfectly as she didn't foresee that I could have some plans of my own.

She kept yelling at me, all the guests kept watching at us and I noticed two guards, who were already approaching Ro.

Without changing my hologram and without glancing at Ro, I blocked their way and I said quietly enough for her to not hear me.

„Everything is okay, I'm Zee. She's my girlfriend, we had some fight, you know how it is. She's just too emotional, I'm so sorry for her behavior, but we don't want trouble. We were just leaving."

„Take your girlfriend and leave immediately or we'll call the police!" threatened one of the guards.

I made an idiotic servile smile, then nodded and ran back to Ro.

No matter how real my hands were, I knew she would recognize my touch even if I only held her arm, but I had no other choice. I took her by the elbow, being very careful to not allow her to grab and squeeze my wrist in order to check for a pulse. Well, even if she wouldn't recognize me by my touch, she would recognize the scent of the 'after shave' of my face. My creators had made me real enough by thinking about each detail on me, I only hoped that this scent of 'after shave' was something popular enough and I wasn't the only one on whose face smelled that way.

„Miss, come with me, please. The guards will call the police if we don't get out of here." I said with a voice, which I was sure I hadn't used during those years, since we were together.

„Zee! You are Zee! I know it's you!" She tried to twist in my hands, but I still didn't allow her to grab my wrist.

We were on the street already, but I kept holding her in order to take her as far from the hotel as possible.

„I'm flattered that a girl like you could date someone who looks like me, but I'm not your Zee."

„You are! It's you, Zee! I know it's you, it's useless to deny!"

„I'm really sorry but I'm not. And I don't want trouble with your Zee if he would suddenly appear and see us. I merely wanted to help you, okay?"

„No, it's not okay, it's not okay, Zee. I'm so sorry for what I said to you, I'm so sorry that I insulted you! I want you back! I want you back, Zee! Please forgive me! Please stop that masquerade!"

„I don't know what you're talking about."

„You perfectly know, Zee, please stop that!"

We were far enough from the hotel, so I stopped walking.

„Take care and…" I removed the real red bandana from my neck and I made her take it, trying to not pay attention to her totally aghast expression. „This little thing brought me luck so many times; I want you to have it. Good luck with your Zee." Saying that and using her confusion, I hurried up to dash behind the near corner.

By the time that she ran after me, I was already changed my hologram, so there was no way for her to recognize me among the passers-by.

„Ze-e-e!" I heard her yelling. „Ze-e-e…" I heard her whispering.

But I didn't answer.

I merely noticed the route she took and I followed her.

o O o

**Ro's point of view**

Squeezing the red bandana in my hand I stood on the street. How I allowed him to mislead me that way! A real red bandana! What a proof that it was a real human! If it wasn't Zee, he wouldn't have any need to prove me anything. A real red bandana! Just great! That confirmed the fact only that he really liked that kind of bandana, as he had bought it. Why he didn't tell me about that? Probably because he wanted to spare himself from my sarcastic remarks that if he would dare to wear it, I would pretend that I don't know him. Or at least I had said something like this when he had made that ridiculous cowboy clothing with the hologram red bandana.

So now what? I lost him. Again. That red bandana wasn't a mistake he made; it wasn't a signal that it was him. It was his way to make me to lose track of him; it was his way for revenge.

I had no right to be insulted. I deserved all this.

So now what? Where to go in this snowy winter night?

I couldn't go back to the hotel. Then where to go? Probably he would follow me. But how to make him to forgive me? How to make him to come back to me? How to make him to be my Zee again?

'Good luck with your Zee.' What was that? Sarcasm? Or some code? What he wanted to tell me with this? Was he so sure that we were thinking alike enough already and I would be a real mind-reader?

Where to go? In some new hotel? On the bus station? On the train station? Or rent a car? The trains were giving him malfunctions of his hologram; I didn't want him to be caught. So I made my way to the bus station.

When I arrived, I entered the waiting room and sat on a bench.

You are somewhere nearby, aren't you, Zee? Please, don't leave me… I can't live without you… and you wouldn't survive without me… you are somewhere nearby, aren't you, Zee?

I looked around… all those people… he is someone of them, isn't he? He just was waiting…

…Someone approached my bench and stopped just before me. It was some police officer, but before I raised my head to look at him, he said, „You have to come with me, Miss."

This warm and deep, soft voice…

Zee?

Zeeeee!

He was a police officer now, I… I couldn't throw on his neck… they weren't too many people around us now, but… I couldn't throw on some police officer's neck… as soon as I… I probably looked like some criminal as I was so shocked… it doesn't matter how I looked like… nothing on earth was important now except Zee, who stood just before me…

It was him… it was his face… his navy blue eyes… he looked at me… with so much sorrow…

Zee held my hand, holomorphing handcuffs, I stood up to follow him… he held my hand… without glancing at me as like a real police officer, who has nothing to do with some criminal girl…

No. It was just a memory. Nobody came to me now. Nobody approached the bench saying, „You have to come with me, Miss" like the last time when we were separated, before our meeting with Casey, when we had tried, once more, to run from Bennet…

Zee wouldn't come this time. He wouldn't reveal himself so easily. We had never fought before. Ever. And it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me. It was all my fault.

I bit my lips. I had to invent something. I had to.

Probably if I ran to catch the bus, which was about to leave, I would see what hologram he used now, because he would be the only one, aside of me, who would run to catch the bus in the last moment.

I did exactly that, but… there was just a mother with a little kid, obviously some foreigner, who climbed onto the bus after me. Zee couldn't be that woman, the kid was quite real.

But I was sure he was in the bus. Probably he had guessed what I would do, he had checked which bus is about to leave and he had come here before me.

Well, so be it. I'll make him to forgive me, sooner or later. At least he followed me. I just knew it. I was sure in it. He was here.

He was here.

I was sure of this.

o O o

A tall, black haired young man with dark grey pants, lilac T-shirt and a long violet-blue coat began to carefully and noiselessly, with the fast, flexible moves of a prowling panther, sneak close to the wall, which surrounded the hotel's garden. Then with the same skillful moves he began to climb up the outside wall of the hotel. He jumped quietly on the balcony of one room and he stood unmovable next to the window. The blinds were closed, but it seemed that he was able to hear even the slighter sound in the room. The winter wind waved his hair and his unbuttoned coat, but he didn't pay attention to the cold as if it wasn't able to affect him. The young man didn't look like a thief. He looked like some guard, like some guardian angel, who wanted to be sure that the person in the room was safety and well.

When the light in the room died, a green-white light flashed around him, he became a part of the wall and he remained immovable on the balcony in the slight light of the new morning. He remained there for hours.

When finally, in the late afternoon, there were sounds in the room, which meant that the person inside was awake, the black haired man climbed down the balcony the same way he had come. Then he sneaked beside the wall of the garden. Then, becoming a hotel employee, he entered the hotel.

When he stopped in front the door of the same room on whose balcony he had spent hours, the green-white light around him flashed again. He knocked on the door. After minute a blonde girl opened the door and… she managed to say one word only.

„You?"

to be continued…

Please review! No matter how much time had passed since I posted this chapter, please, please review! I need your reviews to keep writing.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. I deeply appreciate Robert Goodman as the creator of 'The Zeta Project' and all 'The Zeta Project' team. So it's just a fanfic.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Dragonmaster01 for her editing work on this chapter.

As in all of my stories, here Zee has a material covering over his synthoid's body. More details about this idea, you can find in Chapter Three of my fanfic "The Nettle's Shirt', book 1 of 'You Need Me".

Hide and Seek

by Iglika

Chapter Five

**Ro's point of view**

Someone knocked on the door.

For a few moments though I didn't go to see who was that. It would be too good if it was Zee. But who else would knock on my door? The servant-bot wouldn't come to clean the room while I was here. I hadn't called room service either. Then who was that?

With a sinking heart I stood up and I opened the door…

I froze.

And the only word I managed to utter was, "You?"

It was Tiffy or…it was Zee with Tiffy's hologram. I didn't believe it was Tiffy. I was still quite sure that I was able to recognize Zee and to sense if it was him, no matter what hologram he would wear. But if I tried to say that I know it's him, he probably would disappear again, as he did last night when I insisted so badly that he had to confess that it was him. He had to have some reason to pretend to be Tiffy so the best I could do was just to play along. Besides, it was winter and 'Tiffy' wore a jacket. I was curious to hear what excuse 'she' would invent for not taking off her jacket once in the room.

Real or not, Tiffy wasn't the one I wanted to have as company right now, so I stood my ground and looked sourly at her.

After a few seconds I finally said, "What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Ro. That's not the best way to welcome someone, is it?" her freckled face made a grumpy expression. "May I come in still?"

"Huh…well...yes…as you're here anyway…"

"Thanks" she rolled her eyes in order to show me that she wasn't happy to be with me either. "Zee called me. He said that he had some work to do on his own and he doesn't want you to be alone on your birthday as both you and Casey wouldn't be able to come to Hillsburg to celebrate your birthday. He said you need me so I'm here to help."

"Zee told you all this?"

"Yes, why? What's the problem?" asked Tiffy with her stupid expression of mannered innocence, which I hated so much and she…

What?

She took off her jacket and put it on the chair. And she smelled of some female perfume, it wasn't Zee's familiar smell of after-shave.

Well, okay, real jacket as the real red bandana, real female perfume - Zee was able to buy all this, it didn't prove anything yet.

But I started to be bewildered and that made me nervous.

"So you're here to help me." I said sullenly. "Thanks, but I don't need anyone's help, I'm fine!"

"You look nervous, Ro. I wouldn't say that you're exactly fine."

"And I wouldn't say that we are exactly friends. Don't take me wrong, Tiffy, but if I wanted someone's help I would call you by my own."

"I thought the past is forgotten." She blinked, offended. "Giving you your brother's picture, I wanted to prove you that we can be friends."

"I'm sorry, Tiffy. It's not my day today."

"But it has to be your day. It's your birthday, the day which has to be special, completely yours and different."

"Yeah, it's exactly that way - completely different than anything I had expected to be."

"That's why I'm here, to make the things better for you" and saying this, Tiffy went to the chair, she took her jacket and pulled out from one of the pockets a little box, then she opened it and brought out a piece of jewelry - some little brooch. "Ouch!" she yelped and a drop of blood appeared on her finger.

A drop of blood? She had pricked herself on the brooch? The drop of blood wasn't a hologram, it rested on the brooch. Tiffy pulled out a hanky from the jacket, she cleaned the brooch, she put it back in the box, then she pressed the hanky on her finger and she said with confusion, "I'm so sorry about that. Actually I hate brooches, I guessed you hate them too, that was why I bought it. I have other present for you at home, but I bought this coming here, I was so angry that Zee, you and Casey didn't come home for your birthday. Anyway, happy birthday, this is for you, I wanted to put this on your blouse, but probably it's useless as soon as you wouldn't wear it one way or another" and she handed me the box.

Was this a real human here; was this Tiffy for real and not Zee?

"Thank you" I said completely perplexed, which made me more nervous. I hated to be perplexed and nervous, that wasn't the usual way I reacted, it wasn't common for me, I felt so bad, as if I was feeling the ground slipping from under my feet.

Tiffy sat in the chair and looking at me with some expression of pity, she began to curl one of her reddish tresses, "Zee said he wouldn't be able to be around you for some time. It's strange. What made you both to separate?"

"Zee wouldn't be able to be around me anymore. Ever."

"But…you and Zee…you looked like…you looked like nothing could separate you…"

"So I thought. I thought he wouldn't leave me, ever. Anyway. He left. He left forever, Tiffy. He left me. It's over."

"He left you?" Tiffy stopped playing with her plait and she looked at me with her black eyes wide open, "So it's not some job he has to do, but he left you? That couldn't be possible! He'll come back to you, Ro!"

"No. He wouldn't. I chased him out, I told him to leave and he's not coming back."

"You told him to leave? You? When I said to you that I wonder if he would kiss me again, it was you who said that you would throw up if he would do this! At first I thought that it was merely your usual roughness, but when you began to deny that you're falling for him it was so clear that you loved him."

No, that was impossible! There was no way for Zee to know what I had said to Tiffy…

And…that meant…

It was really Tiffy in front of me?

The truth was that right now I didn't know who I wanted to have here - Zee or Tiffy…

I needed to talk to someone about what happened between Zee and me, I needed to share, I needed someone to listen to me, to tell me what to do…Zee was my best friend, indeed, and more than that to me, but now I needed some girl to share my girlish troubles with.

I gave up. I had to talk. I just had to.

"Zee wouldn't come back to me, Tiffy, he wouldn't. I know him. He's always obeying me, he wants to please me, ever, and if he thinks that that is what I really want from him, he wouldn't come back."

"It sounds contradicted, Ro" Tiffy frowned with concern. "You want to be with him, but you had told him to leave. How could you expect him to not leave then?"

"I thought he's human enough to understand that I really didn't want him to leave and what I said was something different, not my real wish, but a way to provoke him. I thought he's different. I thought he's able to sense my moods, to know me better than anyone else, he was my best friend and he was closer to me than anyone else and he was…he was so tender, so kind, so understanding..."

"Then why did you want him to leave?"

"I told you, I didn't want him to leave! I wanted to challenge him. I wanted him to...Why I'm sharing all this with you!"

"Am I the worst person who could be by your side right now? You said the past is forgotten."

"The old past! But not the recent past! Don't you get it? Why you always have to be so carefree as if you don't notice anything except your own nose! He kissed you, didn't he?"

"C'mon, Ro, I thought he's Adam Heat!"

"But he knew he's not Adam Heat!"

"Maybe you had said something back then, which made him to act like this."

"I had never told him that he have to kiss a girl instead to say 'hello'!"

"Sure, but I can't imagine you didn't tell him anything about the way he had to behavior!"

"Of course I told him! But I asked him to act normal; I really wanted to impress you all!"

"And I was impressed!"

"Yeah, you were! With a kiss!"

"You had told him to act normal and to kiss a girl instead to say 'hello' is pretty normal for a vid-star!"

"I didn't tell him to become Adam Heat! It was his idea! And he had to know that to kiss you couldn't be something, which could impress me!"

"Maybe he had seen his only chance in me."

"His only chance? About what?"

"Ro, he's a synthoid. Even you used this fact to cover your jealousy by saying that you are disgusting on the thought that he could kiss someone. If I didn't know you, I would think that you really think that a synthoid's kiss could be nothing but something loathsome. I'm sure he was thinking the same, I'm sure he was afraid of revolting you. Just think, Ro, maybe he merely wanted to try if his kiss is real enough before daring to kiss you."

"And what if you had realized that he's not a human on the doorstep yet?"

"The doorstep is an easy place to run from."

"And what about my chance to know something about my parents?"

"Thinking of a kiss with you he probably had forgotten about the rest."

"Just great! To kiss you, because he had had wanted to kiss me! Typical man's thinking! Anyway, he didn't try to show me this!"

"Maybe he tries."

"He doesn't, he's gone, that's not trying!"

"Do you think it's easy for him?"

"But I promised to help him; I helped him all the time!"

"He couldn't ask you for advice about the relationship between you both."

"He could ask me anything, he knew it…"

"Why did you fall in love with him, Ro? Because he could be your servant? Because he doesn't have anything than you? Because his dreams and even the goal of his life are connected with you? Because he's a humble robot?"

"No! How dare you!…I fell in love with him although he's a robot!"

"I guess this could be fixed."

"How? Maybe I have to call Pinocchio's Blue Fairy? Or maybe the Programming Fairy? Or the Synthoid Fairy?"

"You both will find Dr. Selig. And I think if Zee could know that you love him, he'll do anything to become human even if you would never find his creator."

"Yes, but I don't want him to do this only to please me! I like that he's humble, but I want him to not be so humble all the time, I want to know that he can take decisions by his own! That's why I challenged him to leave."

"But he had taken a lot of decisions on his own, hadn't he?"

"Yes, it's true, but I wanted to make him to not obeying me this to time; I wanted him to act as a real human. If he really wanted to stay with me, if he loves me, he had to say it to me!"

"Maybe he had something in mind."

"Yeah, right! He just obeyed me. I told you, I wanted to provoke him to take a decision on his own and he failed."

"No, Ro, I don't think so."

"You don't understand! It was yesterday's night, he thought I was sleeping and he started to caress my hair, I was sure he wanted to kiss me and when I took his face in my hands showing him that he could do this, he didn't do anything. Why? Why he didn't kiss me if he really loved me?"

Tiffy goggled with the same mannered expression I didn't like at all, "Is this the reason you chased him out?"

She was more amused rather than shocked and I already regretted that I had told her all this, I didn't have to share with her anything. It was just Tiffy; she would never be my real friend.

I snapped, "What is so funny?"

"Oh…nothing, I'm sorry" she shocked her head, she avoided my eyes and she silenced.

Great.

From now on we had nothing to say to each other. What a birthday!

It was getting dark outside, I commanded the lights in the room to be on and I got the phone to order dinner. I didn't ask what Tiffy would like to eat. It was my birthday and she would eat what I had chosen. She was looking at me while I was ordered the dinner, without saying anything, but before to hang up the phone, she took it from my hands and added, "And a birthday cake, please."

Whatever.

I didn't mind having a birthday cake on the table, but it really didn't matter. My birthday was already ruined one way or another.

Tiffy glanced at me, then she sighed, shrugging her shoulders as if she wanted to say that she was able to understand how I feel, but she couldn't help me to bring back Zee and she approached the window.

It was started to snow. Everything looked lilac, almost pink because of the night lights of the town - the sky, the snow of the roofs and over the hotel's garden - everything had sunk in this tender violet color.

For some long minutes Tiffy remained there, by the window, looking outside. Then as she was still gazing at the falling snow, she said softly, "Look how peaceful is everything when it snowing. When it's raining, you can hear the sound of the falling raindrops over the ground, over the roofs, over the leaves. But the snow is quiet. It falls slowly and noiselessly, as if it's not real, as if it's some fairytale. Isn't it strange, Ro? The snow is cold, but while it's falling so slow and while you're looking how everything all around is covered by this downy blanket, it seems as if it begins to be somehow warmer and cozier in the room."

I didn't answer. Despite the real jacket and the blood drop on her finger, despite she knew what I had said when Zee wasn't there, she wasn't Tiffy. There was only one person who was able to say something like that about the snow. So I asked quietly, "Zee?"

"M-m-m?" he thoughtfully murmured with his male voice as he still had Tiffy's appearance and he still looked through the window with his back at me.

"The game is over, Zee. Can you please switch back? I'll close my eyes. When I'll open them I want to see you, okay?"

I really closed my eyes and it was mostly as a sign of anger than as some sort of patience.

I heard the familiar hissing of his changing hologram and when I opened my eyes he was really there - in front of me. A meek Zee, who looked at me confusedly. I was about angrily to cross my arms, but I wasn't sure it was the right thing I had to do, so I dropped my arms aside my body with some gesture, which actually had no meaning.

"Well, Zee, now you know why all this was about."

"Yes, now I know. I'm so sorry that I disappointed you. But I didn't want to offend you, I love you, Ro."

"Then why you behaved like this? I kissed you in front of Casey's eyes, then I showed you so clearly that you can kiss me and you did nothing, you said nothing! Why, Zee? That wasn't fair."

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Ro. I was just confused, I was really tempted to kiss you when I was thinking that you were sleeping, but I didn't expect that you were awake. I really wanted to kiss you, Ro, but at the same time I didn't want to…err…to ruin my plans."

"Plans?"

"Yes, I had plans, is this so unbelievable?"

"Of course not, Zee, but I was disappointed!"

"I'm really sorry, Ro."

"It's okay, but still - what your plans were?"

"I knew you wanted this for your birthday" he pulled out from the compartment of his chest the last model of my favorite mini-vid game and he handed it to me. "But I thought it's something too common for a real present, something too usual. So I wanted…" He smiled shyly. "I wanted to kiss you for the first time on your birthday that was why I didn't kiss you last night."

"I should have known that you're hopelessly romantic!"

"Yes, I am…I guess." He smiled even more shyly, he approached me, he gently placed his hands on my shoulders, "Happy Birthday, Ro" and after one more cute smile he finally dared to kiss me…very timidly at first, but then more and more bravely until I was really lost inside his kisses…

"Nice present" I said smiling at him when we stopped kissing.

Then I took the black lapel of his coat and I said pretending to be stern, "But you owe me some explanations about your today's show. You had bought the jacket, but the blood drop? And how did you know what I had said to Tiffy when you weren't there that time?"

"I discovered lately that my material covering on my hands has the possibility to imitate blood if I suddenly had to prick myself."

"Why didn't you tell me about that?"

"As we were always on the run and we always had some other more important things to talk about…"

"Besides, where your usual fresh smell of after shave had gone? How did you manage to change it with female perfume?"

"Well, it was now when I realized that actually when I wear male holograms, the smell of that after shave remains the same, but when I wear a female hologram it's changing."

"Logically."

"Yes, but…" He made a funny expression of aversion, "I felt odd, actually I felt bad, pretending to be a girl."

"Because you're a guy!" I kissed him. "And what about my conversation with Tiffy?"

"I made a phone call; I had to warn Tiffy, Walt and Mr. Morgan that we wouldn't come to celebrate your birthday with them. I said Tiffy that we had a fight and that I need to know something from that day when we were in her house, no matter what, but something you both had talked about while I was away, so she told me your conversation."

"Ahhaaaaaaa…And one more question, Zee. Why did you pretend to be Tiffy?"

"For several reasons. I thought that you would need to talk to someone different than me. I really begged Tiffy to come and help you, to talk to you and to be with you on your birthday, possibly for a few days, but she very politely refused me."

"I knew it! She wouldn't never do this for me!"

"Don't be angry at her. I was here for you, wasn't I?"

"Yeah, you were, but please keep your Zee appearance in the future, got it?"

"Got it." He couldn't help, but smiled. "I merely needed Tiffy's appearance now because I thought that you would say things to Tiffy which you wouldn't say to me."

"Probably."

"And also because I wanted to understand you better, Ro. Every actor who had played female characters says after that that he's able to understand women better, that he respects women more and that he started to think about them in a new way."

"It's not the first time when you wear a female hologram!"

"Yes, it's true, but it was accidentally so far. It's different just to wear a hologram for a little while and to act accordingly while wearing it."

"Well, do you know me better now?"

"I don't think so. Maybe if I had played this role for days…"

"Don't even think about it!"

"I wouldn't!" He smiled again. "I guess there is a better way to know you more."

"And this is?"

"To stay by you and to be with you fore---"

A knock on the door cut his words and made us to cast a glance at each other.

No, it couldn't be Bennet; he would enter the room with the door already, rather to knocking. It was the servant bot with the dinner and a birthday cake.

When the bot left, I ran to the table.

"At the girls' homes I always wanted to have a whole birthday cake, the whole for me, to eat it all alone."

"You should tell me…"

"It's not interesting to buy a whole cake and eat it just so. It has to be a birthday cake."

"You wouldn't eat it all at once, would you? You would feel ill….." Zee asked so anxiously that I broke into laughter.

"No, I wouldn't eat all at once! I'm just glad of what I have now - a snow calm evening, away from Bennet, a new vid-game, a whole cake for me only and you here, by my side! And you said that you would do anything to become human. What I probably may ask for a perfect birthday!"

"Maybe this" his dimples surrounded his cute smile and he bent over me to kiss me again.

The end

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